WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT MIGRAINE TRIGGERS: EVIDENCE FROM RESEARCH

Aim of the study: The aim of this review was to summarize current knowledge about factors that may trigger migraine attacks and to assess how reliably these triggers are described in the literature. Materials and methods: The literature was reviewed using medical databases such as PubMed and UpToDate, as well as other relevant sources published over the last 30 years. Results: The studies showed that people with migraine report many different triggers, but their importance varies widely between individuals. Stress, sleep problems, bright light, strong smells, hormonal changes, and certain eating or drinking habits are most often mentioned, but not all patients react to the same factors. Many papers also highlight that some “triggers” may simply reflect early warning symptoms of an upcoming migraine attack, which makes interpretation difficult. Overall, the evidence suggests that triggers affect a person’s general sensitivity rather than directly causing an attack. Conclusions: Migraine triggers are highly individual, and they should be seen more as factors that raise someone’s vulnerability rather than direct causes. For many patients, keeping a headache diary and observing their own patterns can be more useful than trying to avoid long lists of possible triggers. More well-designed studies are needed to better understand how specific factors influence migraine and how this knowledge can improve prevention.